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Found Murdered, Hailey Dunn 13, Colorado City, TX

Hailey Dunn To Be Laid To Rest Six Years After Murder

Jan 24, 2017

COLORADO CITY, TEXAS – Six years after the disappearance of Colorado City teen Hailey Dunn, she is finally being laid to rest.

Hailey Dunn went missing after she left her mother’s house to go to a friend’s house in late December of 2010. Dunn was an 8th grader at Colorado City Middle School at the time of her disappearance. In 2013 Dunn’s body was found by a rock hunter close to Lake J.B. Thomas, near Snyder, Texas. In 2015 Texas Ranger’s Unsolved Crimes Investigation Team were still investigating the disappearance and asking for the public's help in finding Hailey Dunn's murderer.

Though no arrests have ever been made for the murder of Dunn, police did mark Dunn’s mother’s ex-boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, a suspect in the case. Read here for more information on Adkins.

Yesterday, the 13-year-old’s remains were released to her mother, Billie Dunn, said attorney John Young. Billie Dunn now plans on holding a funeral for her daughter as a “private, family gathering.”

She said, “We know how blessed we are to have all of you and hope you will each understand we need to lay Hailey to rest in private. This day will bring tears of many emotions, but, most of all, it gives Hailey her final peace and brings us one step closer to bringing Hailey justice. Thank you again for your love and dedication to our precious daughter.”

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RIP sweet Hailey, I will never forget you.

Last edited by mykittysmama; 01-25-2017 at 11:25 AM.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France

Hailey Dunn was just 13 years old when she was reported missing. She was last seen alive on December 27, 2010. But what happened in the hours before would be a troubling mystery -- one with several different stories.

Hailey Dunn, a bright kid with a winning smile, grew up in the small town of Colorado City, Texas. Today she is the subject of a murder mystery that defies resolution.

Billie Dunn says the last time she saw her daughter Hailey was on an early morning a few days after Christmas.

"I was on my way to work, so just peeking in her bedroom, seeing her in the bed," Billie tells Crime Watch Daily. "She was completely home alone while I was going to be at work for my 12-hour shift. Her father did live right across the street so I assumed she was going to get up and go over there."

But when Billie returns home later that night, Hailey isn't around. Billie says her live-in boyfriend Sean Adkins is also back from work and tells her that Hailey went to stay the night at a friend's house nearby.

But the next day, still no sign of Hailey.

Her daughter had vanished. Billie desperately begins searching for Hailey at all her friends' homes and at her ex-husband Clint's place down the street. She says she has a hard time believing that Hailey would run away.

"Anybody could have been driving through this town and saw my daughter playing outside or walking to the store and picked her up," said Billie.

Billie contacted police and files a missing-person report. The town rallies around her.

Crime Watch Daily affiliate CBS7 News Anchor Tatum Guinn has covered the story from day one.

"We had a story every day, a search update on Hailey for a very long time," said Guinn. "Any time human remains were reported, we were always on high alert, saying 'Oh, this could be her.' That group the whole time said 'No, we're holding out hope she's going to be alive, we're going to find her.'"

In the missing-person investigation, police turn to those closest to Hailey: Mom Billie, and her live-in boyfriend Shawn Adkins, and Hailey's dad Clint Dunn, who lives down the block. All of three have almost daily interactions with her.

As the investigation deepens, Hailey Dunn's home life is revealed as anything but normal.

"She loved her family. So home life seemed to be very simple, but the further we started learning about her family, things seemed to be different behind closed doors," said Guinn. "We got word about a lot of alcohol, a lot of partying from her mother, and so you got the sense that maybe home life was a little harder than what they let on."

much more at link

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“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France

COLORADO CITY -- "I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child, the only thing I could think of that might be worse is to have to wait six years to lay that child to rest.”

On Monday, Attorney John Young was happy to report that wait is now over.

Hailey Dunn's remains have finally been released back to her mother.

On December 28, 2010 13-year-old Hailey went missing from Colorado City.

Although an arrest for her daughter's death has yet to be made, Billie Jean Dunn says she's one step closer to having closure.

Billie’s attorney, Young, says he's been fighting to bring Hailey home once and for all for the past month.

Although this isn't the way her family had hoped for, it has brought a sense of relief for them.

"After the tears of joy, she said to me, ‘I finally get to lay my daughter to rest,’" Young said.

It's been a painful six years for Billie and her family.

Their worlds were turned upside down when they learned Hailey was missing.

To this day, no one has been arrested for her death, but Billie's ex live-in boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, was declared the only suspect.

"She believes, and has a belief that Shawn was involved in some capacity, but I don't think she has any details, or any specifics other than just a gut belief," Young explained.

The first step to a long road to recovery for Billie began when Hailey's remains were found near Lake JB Thomas in March 2013 -- just over two years after her disappearance.

It took almost four years to return Hailey back to her mom.

"There's a sense of closure, a sense of gratitude to have this part of her journey closed and to be able to move forward from here," Young said.

Young says the Scurry County District Attorney’s Office is to thank for finally bringing Hailey home, especially investigator John McDaniels.

"He (McDaniels) said, ‘you know I pull that box out, and I go back through the evidence and see if maybe we've missed something,’” said Young. “The folks in that office have been just extraordinarily compassionate towards Billie and this case."

Hailey will be laid to rest in Luling, which is just outside of Austin.

Her services will be private at the request of her family.

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“We want to thank each and every one of you that has been on this painful path with our family to bring Hailey home since she was found March 16, 2013,” wrote Billie on her Hope for Hailey Dunn Facebook page. “Please if you see any postings asking for "donations" it is not from us. This is my child, my privilege to pay for Hailey ♡. I have already taken care of all costs for my baby girl. Thank you again!”

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“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France

(KTAB) - The Texas Rangers confirm they are still considering Shawn Adkins a suspect in the murder and disappearance of Colorado City teen Hailey Dunn.

Adkins was in a relationship with Hailey's mother Billie Dunn when the teen disappeared six years ago.

The Texas Rangers also told KTAB and KRBC the Hailey Dunn case is still active and investigators continue to receive tips to this day.

Hailey disappeared without a trace after leaving home to spend the night with a friend.

Over three years later, investigators found the body of 13-year-old Hailey Dunn at a lake in Scurry County, and her murder remains unsolved to this day.

snipped

Her body was finally found by someone rock hunting at Lake JB Thomas in March of 2013, but her killer is still at large.

No arrests have been made in connection to Hailey's death. Adkins remains the only publicly identified suspect.

Adkins spoke out to KTAB and KRBC in 2011 before Hailey's body was found, saying "I had nothing to do with Hailey's disappearance, I love Hailey with all my heart and she means a lot to me."

Investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety told KTAB and KRBC they were still considering Adkins a suspect in 2015, though they are investigating other leads as well as tips of all kinds continue to come in from individuals claiming to know what really happened to Hailey.

Hailey's case remains the Texas Rangers Unsolved Homicides website over one year after it was first featured.

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BBM

I will never forget those words said by Shawn Adkins, it made my blood run cold.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France